


Clarity

by muchmoremajestic



Category: Avengers Assemble (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Avengers Assemble Season 5, Getting Together, M/M, Minor Clint Barton/Natasha Romanov, Past Character Death, Reunions, Tony POV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-27
Updated: 2019-05-27
Packaged: 2020-03-20 09:52:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18990283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/muchmoremajestic/pseuds/muchmoremajestic
Summary: Tony was pretty sure he had experienced the entire range of human emotion over the past few days. . .The bottomless relief that Steve was actually okay. And the hurt that Steve went behind the Avengers’ backs to help T’Challa that put him in direct harm in the first place.That last one actually made Tony feel guilty; he wasn’t surprised that Steve had gone to help T’Challa - frankly, it would be uncharacteristic of Steve to not go help - but Steve’s good intentions didn’t erase the weeks of anger and depression and pain Tony and the others had felt once they thought Steve was gone. . .What do you say to someone when you thought they were dead and now they’re not?





	Clarity

**Author's Note:**

> We didn't get a stevetony reunion in season 5, so when I saw the AA anniversary celebration on Tumblr I decided to write one of sorts. Takes place at the end of "Widowmaker", S5 Ep21. (And spoilers for season 5, if you haven't seen it!)
> 
> Edit: I forgot that, in canon , Tony was in his underwear after they landed at the Tower. Your choice if he bothered to put clothes back on or not.

The jet landed back at Avengers Tower. Clint was waiting, hands still damaged, just eager to see Natasha again. Steve and Tony stood side by side in silence as they watched Clint and Natasha reunite.

Tony was pretty sure he had experienced the entire range of human emotion over the past few days. Annoyance that his armor had been destroyed by Zanda. Anxiety from dealing with a collapsing Atlantis and worrying about if Natasha had been safe. Physical disgust from wrestling with plant monsters trying to rescue her.

Still angry at T’Challa for hiding all of this, for being so vague and hiding what was happening and making them think Steve was dead and not telling the truth sooner and still, after everything, rebuffing Tony’s attempts to help.

Sad to see Clint in such anguish. Knowing how hurt Clint had been after everything with Whitney and his hands, and then thinking they lost Steve and then almost losing Natasha too?

The bottomless relief that Steve was actually okay. And the hurt that Steve went behind the Avengers’ backs to help T’Challa that put him in direct harm in the first place.

That last one actually made Tony feel guilty; he wasn’t _surprised_ that Steve had gone to help T’Challa - frankly, it would be uncharacteristic of Steve to _not_ go help - but Steve’s good intentions didn’t erase the weeks of anger and depression and pain Tony and the others had felt once they thought Steve was gone.

It seemed like Steve might have felt similarly - after they got Natasha back on the jet, Steve had remainder pretty quiet on the ride home.

What do you say to someone when you thought they were dead and now they’re not?

The group made their way away from the Avenjet and back into the tower. Tony smiled as he saw the rest of the team waiting for their return.

At the sight of Steve, Kamala and Sam jumped up and ran to him, capturing him in a big hug. When they separated, Carol walked over and put her hand on Steve’s shoulder.

“Good to have you back, Cap,” she said with a smile.

Natasha and Clint were sitting by the bar, Natasha still in her tattered uniform as she gently examined Clint’s hands. He was staring away from her, instead looking at the floor.

Tony looked around. “Where are Thor and Hulk?”

“Thor went back to Asgard for a few days. Hulk is out, for now.”

“JARVIS, can you text the Hulk and tell him to come back to the tower? I’ll go leave a note under Thor’s door, I’m sure he’ll see it eventually.”

“Of course, sir.”

Tony turned and looked at Steve again, happy to be surrounded by his teammates again, but with a pained smile on his face. Tony walked out of the living area and toward his lab.

All of Tony’s thoughts spun around in his head too quickly. He needed to do something with his hands to help him focus. He thought about how it felt to be trapped in the no tech dimension, saying goodbye to his team - and exactly how much it hurt to say goodbye to Steve.

They had had many moments together when Tony could have sworn that one of them was going to confess their feelings for the other. All of the times Steve expressed his true opinion about Tony and how much he believed in him, all the times Tony flirted and teased Steve, the small touches and long glances. All of that was at the center of this swirling storm in Tony’s heart, ready to burst at any moment.

After Tony spent a few hours of working alone in the lab on a new suit of armor and how to make it tamper proof, Steve walked in. Tony turned to look at him and they stared at each other in silence for a moment.

“Hey, Tony, can we talk?”

Tony didn’t answer.

He put down his tools and walked over to Steve and gave him a hug. Not the excited, spinning hug Steve had given him when they were reunited on Battleword, no. It was muted at first, not with the grandiose that Tony tried to weave into most things he did.

Once his arms went around Steve’s shoulders, it felt like they turned to stone. So heavy Tony wasn’t sure he could ever move them again.

Tony could hear himself crying before he realized he was doing it. Steve said nothing, returning the hug and squeezing Tony tightly and letting the man cry into his shoulder. Tony felt Steve’s strong hand move comfortingly up and down his back. He felt like his heart was bursting, overflowing with lingering grief and nowhere to dump it but onto Steve’s chest.

But realizing what he was doing - watching his emotional dam burst - finally put everything into perspective for Tony. Whatever combination of feelings Tony had, it was nothing compared to the clarity of realizing how he had really felt about Steve.

They parted slightly and Steve reached for a box of tissues on a countertop and put it in front of Tony. Sweet and caring, as always.

Steve began speaking. “I’m sorry. I can’t even begin to imagine how worried and hurt you all must have been. Had I known what would happen I would have -”

And with that, Tony cut Steve off with a kiss. He cupped Steve’s face and clung to Steve, the sensation electrifying. Steve began to return the kiss with such longing that Tony felt like he was sinking. Somehow, Tony found it within himself to pull apart from Steve.

“I love you, Steve. I love you so much and I was so heartbroken and angry thinking you had died and just regretting never telling you how I truly felt. There have been many times over the years where I came close to saying it but I didn’t. I don’t know why I always thought we had the time but then we thought you were dead and this past week has been exhausting and I -”

It was Steve’s turn to interrupt Tony with a kiss.

“I love you too, Tony.” Steve leaned his forehead against Tony’s; the affection was almost too much for Tony to bear.

They didn’t say anything else, just continued to hold onto each other and exchanging deep kisses. Steve was here, alive, and they loved each other. As far as Tony was concerned, there was nothing else that needed to be said.

They spent a while in each other’s arms, but their make-out session was soon interrupted by a familiar rumbling rapidly approaching the lab.

“Steve, I think we’re about to have company.”

As soon as Tony finished the sentence Hulk and Thor burst through the wall next to the lab door.

“HE’S BACK!” Hulk yelled.

Tony jumped back as they both enveloped Steve in a massive hug, lifting him off the ground.

“Steven, in all my years there has never been a more marvelous sight than seeing you again,” Thor said.

Steve tried to squeak out an “it’s good to see you guys too” but could barely get out the words.

Tony laughed and began to exit the lab through the new hole in the wall. “Steve, when you’re done getting crushed by them, come find me in my quarters,” Tony said with a wink.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm also muchmoremajestic on tumblr and vrose23 on discord!


End file.
